Gaming powerhouse Nintendo and The Pokemon Company have initiated a patent infringement lawsuit against Pocketpair, the developer behind Palworld. We have compiled a comprehensive timeline to elucidate the events that led to this anticipated legal action.
If you haven’t been following gaming news closely, the phrase ‘Pokemon with guns’ became widely associated with Palworld, an innovative fusion of the survival and monster-taming genres created by the indie studio Pocketpair.
Though still in early access, Palworld made quite an impact upon its release, and perhaps that’s an understatement. Unfortunately for Pocketpair, notable resemblances in gameplay and creature design to the Pokemon franchise raised concerns among players (and gave detractors hope) that the famously litigious Nintendo might take action against Palworld.
And they did. Nintendo and The Pokemon Company have united to file a patent infringement lawsuit against Pocketpair. This timeline will explore all the events that culminated in this decision.
The similarities between Pokemon and Palworld are not entirely unfounded.
Pokemon vs Palworld Lawsuit: The Complete Timeline
Since Palworld’s initial online appearance, comparisons with Pokemon have been prevalent. It appears that these similarities were somewhat intentional on Pocketpair’s part.
Palworld Prerelease
June 5, 2021: Pocketpair unveiled the first trailer for Palworld, which quickly went viral, garnering millions of views through reposts on social media platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). The game instantly earned the nickname ‘Pokemon with guns’.
The trailer showcased creatures like Anubis, and the stark likeness between some of these designs and existing Pokemon had many commenters convinced that Palworld might never be released. Over the subsequent two years, this trailer kept being shared, reinforcing these discussions.
May 26, 2023: After a lengthy silence, Pocketpair started releasing tutorials for Palworld. While the game’s features appeared to have evolved since the initial trailer, the creature designs and mechanics still bore a strong resemblance to those in Pokemon.
A tutorial detailed how to capture Pals by weakening them and using a thrown “sphere,” seemingly a legally distinct alternative to a Poke Ball. Interestingly, journalist Stephen Totilo pointed out a 2021 Nintendo patent for “throwing an item to catch a monster while out in the field.” This patent could be a crucial element in the impending lawsuit against Pocketpair.
If I’m reading this correctly, here is a Nintendo patent from 2021 for a video game character throwing an item to catch a monster while out in the field https://t.co/7Dvicj2lnc pic.twitter.com/rM6Ak45K0k
— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) September 19, 2024
June 8, 2023: During Summer Games Fest, Pocketpair showcased another trailer for Palworld, marking the game’s first major exposure beyond niche online communities. Following the reveal, the Pokemon comparisons intensified, and it was widely speculated that Nintendo would take legal action.
“Nintendo is the most legally aggressive video game company on the planet… they will sue, trust me,” remarked one YouTube user. “I really hope they don’t win when they sue this game,” another replied enthusiastically.
Regardless of these trepidations, many potential players were eager about Palworld, especially after learning that it would enter early access in January 2024.
Palworld Launches to Massive Success and Major Drama
January 19, 2024: Palworld officially launched on PC and Xbox, achieving impressive sales figures in the tens of millions and drawing a substantial day-one player base due to its presence on Xbox Game Pass.
On launch day, Pokemon fans criticized Palworld, alleging that the developers had ‘ripped off’ creature designs from Game Freak’s cherished franchise.
January 21, 2024: Despite the backlash, Palworld reached a staggering concurrent player count of 2,101,867 on Steam, becoming the second most-played game in the platform’s history at that time, later surpassed by Black Myth: Wukong.
Defenders of Palworld argued against the criticisms, and the surge in popularity led Pocketpair to hold emergency meetings with Epic to manage the strain on their servers.
January 24, 2024: In response to fan complaints regarding Palworld, Nintendo issued a statement promising to “investigate and take appropriate measures to address any acts that infringe on intellectual property rights related to Pokemon.” This announcement foreshadowed the patent infringement lawsuit that would soon follow.
On the same day, Nintendo removed a promotional video for a Pokemon mod for Palworld through a DMCA claim, prompting Nexusmods to subsequently eliminate any Pokemon-related mods for the game.
June 26, 2024: Palworld Director Takuro Mizobe disclosed that despite Nintendo’s investigation announcement regarding potential infringements, Pocketpair had yet to receive any communication.
This led many to assume that Pocketpair and Palworld were safe, and the developer could proceed with their endeavors without concern about legal challenges from Nintendo.
July 10, 2024: Pocketpair declared their partnership with Aniplex and Sony Music Entertainment to establish Palworld Entertainment, Inc., with ambitions to expand Palworld into a multimedia franchise to compete with Pokemon in television and merchandising.
ANNOUNCEMENT #1: Pocketpair is excited to announce a joint venture company with Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. and Aniplex, Inc., to establish Palworld Entertainment, Inc., for the purpose of accelerating the multifaceted global development of Palworld and its further… pic.twitter.com/aHnlC8M6Pu
— Palworld (@Palworld_EN) July 10, 2024
September 18, 2024: Nintendo and The Pokemon Company announced they have filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Pocketpair, which will be processed in the Tokyo District Court.
Fans of Palworld reacted strongly against this legal maneuver, while legal experts suggested that the lawsuit might not hinge solely on the alleged mimicry of Pokemon designs. Instead, it may relate more to Palworld’s mechanics or software framework.
September 19, 2024: Pocketpair issued an official statement about the lawsuit, describing it as “truly unfortunate.” The developer also conveyed that they are “currently unaware of the specific patents we are accused of infringing upon, and we have not been notified of such details.”
Regarding the Lawsuit: Yesterday, a lawsuit was filed against our company for patent infringement. We have received notice and will begin appropriate legal proceedings and investigations into the claims. At this moment, we are unaware…
— Palworld (@Palworld_EN) September 19, 2024
As of now, both Pocketpair and we are equally in the dark about which patents Nintendo claims were violated. Information surrounding the lawsuit remains scant, but we will strive to keep our readers informed of any significant developments in the case.
For further insight into how patent law operates both in Japan and abroad, check out our breakdown which can enhance your understanding of the ongoing legal clash between Pokemon and Palworld.
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